Cooke was previously the assistant director in the DEP’s Office of Innovation and Assistance. During his time in Maine state government Cooke designed and launched the nation’s first green certification program for grocery stores and the third green certification program for lodging businesses. The lodging certification system was adopted by nine other states.

“I am thrilled to be joining Manomet and I look forward to working in an organization that has such an abundance of creativity,” Cooke said.

Cooke said that he takes particular pride in closely monitoring results from his certification programs. “If I can’t track it, I don’t do it,” he said.

Cooke received a Master’s in Resource Management from Antioch University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona. He is based in Manomet’s office in Brunswick, Maine.